SANDUSKY, Ohio—Driving from the mainland to the island that houses Cedar Point amusement park, a striking panorama welcomes you. Rising and twisting toward the sky, massive roller coasters paint a vivid view—especially at night. Built on Lake Erie Peninsula, the park features a world record 72 rides—including 15 roller coasters—and has the third-most roller coasters in the world. Enhancing some of these amazing rides are 46 fixtures from CHAUVET® Professional.
Twenty COLORado™ Range IP and 10 COLORado™ Ridge IP wash lights dress the 310-foot tall Millennium Force ride while 16 COLORado™ Range IP fixtures light the Power Tower attraction. President of Blue Haze Entertainment Andrew Strain specified and created the lighting design for the rides. Strain decided on the CHAUVET® Professional fixtures for their great capabilities. “The even wash was so beautiful and powerful compared to other fixtures on the market,” he said. “We were surprised at what we got at how affordable it was.”
Millennium Force is a breathtaking ride, fast, with plenty of up-and-down hills. “This is one of the key rides at Cedar Point. So, we wanted to light it up appropriately considering how famous it is,” Strain said. “COLORado™ Range IP gives quite an even spread on Millennium Force.” It washes not only the base of the ride, but all the way to the top.” COLORado™ Range IP fixtures light the Power Tower ride from the center, all around and at the very peak of the ride. “While Millennium Force has lights only at the base, Power Tower can explode with color from the inside out, and at the very top of it.”
For Strain, lighting the Power Tower has been a 360-degree lighting project. Guests riding up and down can see the colors changing all the way around them. “The COLORado™ Range IP lights provide an even, beautiful color blending with the RGBWA,” Strain said. “It’s also the first ride where we put lights at the top, so as the truss comes towards the center peak, they change colors differently on the towers from the inside and outside.”